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Actinomycin D revisited in testicular cancer. A case report
1VA Medical Center, Stanford University, CA, USA. srinivas@icon.palo-alto.med.va.gov
Background:
Between 20-30% of patients with advanced germ cell tumors relapse or fail to achieve a complete response to conventional cisplatin based chemotherapy. Ifosphamide has been used very effectively in combination with cisplatin and etoposide (VIP) or in combination with cisplatin and vinblastine (VeIP). Actinomycin D with chlorambucil and methotrexate was widely used in the 1960s with complete responses in 20% of patients and long term survival of 6-10%. There exists no information on the use of actinomycin as a salvage in cisplatin refractory patients.
Methods And Results:
One patient with metastatic germ cell tumor who failed chemotherapy with cisplatin and ifosphamide was successfully treated with an actinomycin D based regimen.
Conclusions:
Actinomycin D is an active agent in testicular cancer and maybe used in patients refractory to platinum.